A new facility in the United States is set to keep the country safe from from the threat of nuclear proliferation. The new state-of-the-art 21,000-square-foot facility, at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), is also aimed at contributing to nuclear energy developments.

The Advanced Testbed and Operations Learning Laboratory (ATOLL) will develop critical workforce expertise and capabilities essential to monitoring foreign weapons-grade uranium production activities. The project is expected to be completed in the summer of 2028.

Initiative to advance energy dominance agenda

“It takes a weapons program to know a weapons program,” said Administrator Williams. “At NNSA, we deter adversaries by being experts in atomic science and weapons production, and the investment in ATOLL strengthens our understanding of both.”

The Department of Energy’s National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) has announced that the initiative will also advance President Trump’s energy dominance agenda and his executive orders on nuclear energy by contributing to the growing nuclear infrastructure being built in Tennessee, providing critical expertise that can be leveraged by American industry to revitalize domestic civil nuclear capabilities.

Detection of adversary nuclear programs and capabilities

“Our nation’s nuclear deterrent and the NNSA enterprise that maintains it serve as the foundation of our national defense. My highest priority as Chairman of the House Energy & Water Appropriations Subcommittee is ensuring this nuclear security enterprise is properly resourced,” said Congressman Fleischmann.

“DNN plays an essential defensive role within our deterrence architecture by enabling the detection and attribution of adversary nuclear programs and capabilities. The scientific and technological expertise of our national labs are critical enablers for NNSA’s national security missions.”

Fleischmann also underlined that the Advanced Testbed and Operations Learning Laboratory, being built at ORNL, will provide the cutting edge scientific facilities needed to perform critical nonproliferation missions, as the ability to monitor foreign nuclear production and weapons activities is essential to the country’s national defense and extended deterrence commitments.

“I was honored to participate in the groundbreaking for this important demonstration of these tremendous partnerships advancing U.S. national security,” added Fleischmann.

The project is part of the Nonproliferation Stewardship Program within NNSA’s Office of Defense Nuclear Nonproliferation. The program focuses on maintaining the scientific expertise, technical infrastructure, and specialized facilities necessary to address current and future nuclear security challenges.

As geopolitical tensions and concerns over nuclear proliferation continue to evolve, the development of ATOLL represents a strategic investment in America’s ability to detect, understand, and prevent the misuse of nuclear technology. The facility is expected to serve as a cornerstone of U.S. nonproliferation efforts while fostering innovation and expertise in the broader nuclear field for decades to come.

The new facility is expected to strengthen America’s ability to monitor nuclear activities globally and respond effectively to emerging proliferation risks.

By supporting research, workforce development, and advanced nuclear infrastructure, the laboratory will help reinforce domestic capabilities in both civilian nuclear power and national security applications.